Argentine health officials set 150 rodent traps [5] in forests around Ushuaia to investigate a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship.
The operation seeks to determine if the virus is present in a region previously considered free of the disease. Identifying the local presence of the virus could explain how the pathogen entered the ship and affected passengers.
Scientific teams from the Ministry of Health began the capture and analysis operation on May 6, 2026 [2, 3]. Researchers deployed box traps throughout the forests surrounding the city of Ushuaia, located at the southern tip of Argentina [1, 2].
The investigation follows a crisis aboard a cruise ship that departed Ushuaia on April 1, 2026 [6]. Reports indicate that three people died [3] and three others became seriously ill [4] during the voyage. The total number of people on board was reported as either 147 passengers [1] or around 150 people [2].
Conflicting reports exist regarding the ship's final destination, with some sources citing the Canary Islands [1] and others stating the vessel awaited help off the coast of Cabo Verde [2].
Health officials said the rodent analysis is critical to mapping the virus's spread. By testing the local wildlife, researchers hope to establish a link between the terrestrial environment in Tierra del Fuego, and the infections reported at sea.
“Argentine health officials set 150 rodent traps in forests around Ushuaia”
The deployment of traps in Ushuaia suggests that health officials suspect a zoonotic jump occurred shortly before or during the ship's departure. Because hantavirus is typically transmitted through rodent excreta, finding the virus in the local wildlife would confirm a geographic point of origin, helping authorities prevent future outbreaks in the region's tourism hubs.
